Hello Esteban! Could you introduce yourself?
Hello! My name is Esteban, I’m 22 and Colombian. I came to France to study and am currently doing a work study programme at Bechtle Paris as a business developer.
Why France?
In Colombia, I was a top level fencing athlete for eight years. My work and study options were limited there and when I travelled to Paris for a fencing competition, I really liked it there. I decided to come and live here, with a little help from my fame as a sportsman!
Could you tell us about how you started at Bechtle?
I started out as a trainee in June 2021. After completing my degree in Applied Languages with focus on English and French, I started a Master’s course and re-joined Bechtle, this time as a dual student!
I also worked in a restaurant alongside studying and working at Bechtle. Farba Mbaye and Bruno Zaccone planned my working hours to be able to incorporate my other responsibilities. Today, I am a full-time Bechtle employee, spending three weeks a months in the office and one at uni.
What is your job?
I’m currently a business developer and I try to bring a strong element of corporate social responsibility (CSR) to my job. I’ve therefore decided to share my time between both sales and CSR.
In the long term, I really want to present myself as a specialist in the field of sustainable development to add even more value to my sales pitch and find green solutions that match my customers’ needs.
What I find interesting about my profession is the idea of support—I’ve always tried to help others and this comes up in managing and supporting my customers. I have to be their trusted contact and be there for them.
And CSR is something important for you?
Totally! The environment is a topic that has always interested me and at Bechtle we have the freedom to act.
After attending a conference about the circular economy and the future of businesses, I talked to the Bechtle Paris board. They really liked my ideas! I was surprised at how quickly they accepted my suggestions!
The idea is to become a real green IT company for our clients by offering recyclable or low-energy products, for example—whatever would best meet our customers’ needs.
As an IT seller, we have to play our part, just like the manufacturers with whom we are in contact. They can become major players!
Enough talk about work! What else are you passionate about?
I love sport in general and travelling.
As I fenced at a high level for 8 years, I had the opportunity to travel a lot—Paris, Mexico, Canada, South America etc. It was great, even though the time was mainly dedicated to competitions.
Apart from that, at the moment I really enjoy going out with my friends, going to museums and the cinema. I also like music a lot! I love going to jazz concerts, in the rue de Rivoli or at Châtelet... And I generally stay until it ends around 1 am!
Do you still get the chance to fence at the moment?
Not really, even though I really want to get back into it. It’s difficult, though, at the moment to coordinate my uni and work schedules and fencing is an expensive sport. And not to mention Covid, which hasn’t made things easier with the sport halls often closed. In any case, my fencing bag is ready to go!
And is there anything else we should know about you?
I’m a very open person, I love discovering new languages and meeting new people!
That’s another reason I love Paris! It’s so diverse here. I have a group of friends that come from all over, it’s really interesting! In Bogotá, the big city I lived in in Colombia, there was a certain amount of cultural diversity, but nothing as rich as Paris.
It’s also allowed me to improve my French. That’s how I think we learn best—talking and meeting people!